Rathmor Stud: Close Hatches Nominated For Eclipse Older Female Award Close Hatches, closely related in pedigree to Rathmor's new resident sire Noble Tune, has been nominated for the upcoming 44th Eclipse Awards in the category of Older Female taking place 17 January. Her fellow nominees include Group winners' Dayatthespa and Don’t Tell Sophia. Close Hatches [pictured above] is a daughter of First Defence (by Unbridled's Song) out of the same broodmare sire as Noble Tune - a Storm Cat mare Rising Tornado. The four year old filly won three Gr1's in 2014, namely the Apple Blossom Handicap, Ogden Phipps Handicap and the Personal Ensign Handicap, and added a Gr2 with the Azeri Stakes. In total she has won five Group Ones, two Group Two's and placed second in the 2013 Gr1 Breeders Cup Distaff and Gr1 Acorn Stakes. On 29 December it was reported that the third dam of Noble Tune [pictured right], Serena's Song, has been retired from breeding at age 22. Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas for Robert and Beverly Lewis, the daughter of Rahy won 18 races, including 10 Gr1 Stakes, and voted champion 3-year-old filly in 1995. Serena's Song [pictured left] was the all-time leading distaff earner with $3,283,388 in winnings when she was retired in late 1996. Serena's Song, who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in New York, also excelled as a broodmare. Among her 10 winners (from 12 to race and 13 total foals) have been Gr1 winner Sophisticat, Gr2 winners Harlington and Grand Reward, Gr3 winner Schramsberg, and Serena's Tune (second dam of Noble Tune), her first foal who was a multiple stakes winner. "Serena is still in great health and condition," Denali Stud owner Craig Bandoroff said. "She doesn't look anything like your ordinary 22-year old mare. However, when she lost her 2014 pregnancy this fall everyone agreed that it was time to let her live out her remaining years in leisure. I know that there will never be another broodmare like her for me. "It has been a great honour to work with the Lewises for the entirety of her breeding career. She has had a profound impact on the growth and development of Denali Stud. Today, we have three of her daughters (including her Medaglia d'Oro weanling) and a fourth, Serene Melody (by Street Cry), is with trainer Charlie LoPresti. The Lewis family and we, at Denali, are looking forward to Serena's legacy extending many years into the future." Noble Tune's weanling half-sister by Tapit sold for a record-breaking $3-million at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. The only son of Unbridled's Song to stand in South Africa, Noble Tune received strong support from both KZN and the Cape, covering a quality book of mares for his first breeding season in 2014. - extract bloodhorse.com